data roaming charges when data roaming off

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Level 1

9 points

data roaming charges when data roaming off

A few days ago I purchased a Verizon iPhone 4. Since I live near the Canadian border, I was told to turn data roaming off when I bought the phone, so I did. I was recently at my place in a valley in Olympic National Park. Power was out, so I tried to use my iPhone as a flashlight. I turned it on, and it instantly presented me with a text mesage warning me that I was being charged for accessing data on a Candian network. This was 40 miles from the nearest Canadian tower and in a mountain valley with no direct Canadian line of sight. Oh, and did I mention that data roaming was off?

Then I called the power company to report the problem, and that voice call was handled by the local Verizon tower.

As soon as I got home I called Verizon. They confirmed and reversed the charge, then spent the next hour elevating the problem, searching the internet and calling Apple to try and find out what happened and if there is any way to prevent this problem in the future. Unfortunately, Verizon can disable international roaming for every phone they support EXCEPT the iPhone due to their contract with Apple. This means that I will have to call Verizon every few days to reverse Canadian data charges, even if I am simply using my phone as a flashlight.

So, is there a real way to turn data roaming or at least international data roaming off on the Verizon iPhone 4? The switch in the settings does not work.

Posted on Apr 26, 2011 9:32 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 26, 2011 10:29 AM in response to Kaleberg

I cannot confirm this with any specific app, but I have heard that some apps (on some phones - motorola Android phones for one, but also maybe the iPhone) can override the "data roaming" switch setting. Maybe it was something like that - data roaming off, but an app overriding that? Maybe Verizon could offer some help on that - if there are any known/suspect data-using apps to avoid while in Canada?

P.S. if you do not need data at all, then don't merely turn off data roaming, but disable cellular data as well.

BTW, there are numerous other posts along this same line here going back at least into the past couple of years, so you might want to search for those threads to see if there is anything useful in them. I've read that actively sending an MMS message will override "data roaming off", some location services apps and weather apps are suspected of doing it, and others have been mentioned as possabilities (even visual voicemail).

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Answer 2

Kaleberg Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 26, 2011 6:42 PM in response to Michael Black

What is the point of an iPhone if you can never use your data service without racking up Canadian data charges? At least IOS could confirm that I wanted to use data roaming. I did have the flag turned off.

I can understand how an Android app could get around the data roaming restriction, but the whole point of Apple acting as the gate keeper for apps should prevent exactly that kind of thing.

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Answer 3

May 2, 2011 9:38 AM in response to Kaleberg

Seth: I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and travel to the States (MI) each day to work. I also have the data roaming switch turned OFF but the phone continues to roam when I am at home. Apparently, Verizon (who I am with) use CDMA2000 technology in Michigan and the same techology is also used by Canadian cell phone operators. Apparently, the iPhone 4 software cannot detect the change from MI to Ontario because the technologies are the same. I presume this is the same between WA and British Columbia. This issue does not exist with AT&T because they use a different cell phone technology (apparently).

I now have to call Verizon each month to have them reverse the Canadian Roaming charges ... which is a pain!

Oh yea ... something else happens as well. Occassionally when I travel from Canada back to the US, the phone fails to switch back to the Verizon system so it cannot find a 3G connection. I have to do a reboot to regain the 3G signal. It would be nice for Apple to fix this.

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Answer 4

May 2, 2011 9:54 AM in response to Kaleberg

It's an old problem - I can remember being hit up for Sprint roaming fees as far back as 12-13 years ago, while still on the US side of the border but near enough to Canada that I got signal from towers in Canada. I don't have a solution to give you, and yes, it is stupid that it still happens decades after the introduction of the cell phone in both countries. Personally, I don't see it as a phone issue, I see it as a carrier issue, and one they should be able to solve, but steadfastly have ignored for many years. They have your cell tower triangulation position, they know where you are and who your cell service is with so if you are south of the border, it should be simple to ensure you do not connect to a cell antennae north of it.

I think they just don't care - the carriers have had decades to figure out and put in place a solution, they just haven't done it.

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Answer 5

Kaleberg Author

Level 1

9 points

May 2, 2011 10:51 AM in response to Stuart_from_Canada

I'm not sure it's a Verizon or CDMA only problem as I've discovered iPhone and Android users on both AT&T and Verizon who have noted a similar problem. It even seems to be a problem in Europe where one would imagine all the close borders would have forced a solution years ago.

It's actually comforting to know that this problem can be handled with a monthly phone call. I can live with that. I just don't want to wind up having to make weekly or daily calls. Also, thanks for the tip with regards to recovery if 3G gets stuck roaming.

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Answer 6

Kaleberg Author

Level 1

9 points

May 2, 2011 10:55 AM in response to Michael Black

I am not sure triangulation would help in my neck of the woods. My guess is that there is only one tower visible, and that tower is 40 miles away in Canada. The national park here is not fond of towers on their turf, and they own most of the high ground. The Canadians, to their credit, probably accept weak signals since they want some coverage in the sparsely populated areas west of Victoria and on the Strait of San Juan de Fuca itself. All too many boaters are relying on cell phones to call for help, so they probably consider their ability to deal with weak signals a plus. (Granted, any competent boater should have a marine radio, but marine radios have been known to fail while a cell phone in a waterproof bag might continue working.)

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Answer 7

pixeled

Level 1

13 points

Sep 20, 2011 4:00 PM in response to Kaleberg

The sad thing is, this had already been solved once. Back in the day of earlier cellular (analog, not digital) in the early 90s, all phones came with the option of either using the 'strongest' signal, or the 'home' network.

(Lived in San Diego, and this was necessary to prevent the phone locking onto Mexican cell towers).

Once you set it, you never had to worry about it.

I'm always amazed when technology takes one step forward, two steps back.

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Answer 8

Sep 20, 2011 6:12 PM in response to Kaleberg

just back from china, i can relate to this entirely: in addition to turning off data roaming, in settings, it is vital to turn off location services. while no apps that i know of override data-off settings, the majority of apps automatically use your location, which, in it's own form, is using data without your permission. i would assume that the flashlight app you've been using automatically finds your loction, thus charging you crazy amounts (sorry to hear this).

i hope this helps!

zach

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